Stress transmission in wet granular materials

TL;DR

This study uses 3D molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how stress is transmitted in wet granular materials, revealing a self-organized particle network with distinct positive and negative pressure phases and their evolution under confining pressure.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of stress transmission in wet granular media, highlighting the microstructural organization and phase partitioning due to capillary bonds, which was not previously characterized.

Findings

Identification of two percolating pressure phases in the particle network.

The highest particle pressure is found in the bulk of each phase.

Applying confining pressure reduces tensile bonds and fragments the negative phase.

Abstract

We analyze stress transmission in wet granular media in the pendular state by means of three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations. We show that the tensile action of capillary bonds induces a self-stressed particle network organized in two percolating "phases" of positive and negative particle pressures. Various statistical descriptors of the microstructure and bond force network are used to characterize this partition. Two basic properties emerge: 1) The highest particle pressure is located in the bulk of each phase; 2) The lowest pressure level occurs at the interface between the two phases, involving also the largest connectivity of the particles via tensile and compressive bonds. When a confining pressure is applied, the number of tensile bonds falls off and the negative phase breaks into aggregates and isolated sites.